1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to UI color scheme management.
2. Description of the Related Art
The graphical UI forms the basis of the visual computing environment. While underlying program logic can perform tasks on input provided by an end user in order to generate output, it is the UI that permits a visual interface through which the end user can provide the requisite programmatic input and present the generated output for cognition by the end user. Integral to a functional UI is a selection of UI controls or widgets, such as buttons, text fields, sliders, image displays and the like. Additionally, the coloring of each of the widgets—namely the color scheme—can be of equal importance as some colors coordinate well with one another, while others clash or otherwise render the visual understanding of a UI difficult.
While some end users accept the default color scheme proposed by the operating system or application, other end users prefer to choose personalized color schemes based upon constraints such as visual impairments, environmental conditions such as a darkly or brightly illuminated work environment, or other personal preferences. Yet, the modern display adapter permits an enormous color palette, in many cases over sixteen million possible colors. Providing the end user with a tool to edit the color scheme by changing only a few colors in a color scheme conceals a major difficulty. First, with the end user changing only a few dominant colors in the color scheme according to end user preference, the visually consistent overall scheme can be lost. Second, to edit the full palette of colors can be a very time consuming process that requires excellent graphic design expertise generally lacking within the end user base.
The foregoing problem of color scheme customization has been addressed according to a variety of different methodologies. For instance, one methodology provides for the ability to shift a full scheme according to a color-centric parameter such as hue, value or saturation. While useful, shifting a color scheme based upon hue, value or saturation fails to account for the color contrast that should be maintained to preserve the quality of a color scheme in order to better reflect on the significance of each color (including foreground and background roles of each color in the scheme). Another methodology provides for the preservation of some colors in the color scheme while applying a new color scheme to a document. Yet, as before, the harmonic relationships of the colors are not taken in consideration when global adjustments of the color scheme are performed. Finally, in yet another methodology, different possible variations of a color scheme are generated and presented to the end user for selection according to end user preference. Still, once again, the color scheme is adjusted according to the color properties independently of the harmonic relationships of the colors (or the visual consistency of the set of colors taken as a whole).